


My Weakness (is that I care too much)

by orphan_account



Category: All Time Low (Band)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Rian Jack and Alex are whiny bitches, Zack is a great listener, but he loses his temper
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-02-05 02:13:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12784734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Zack is always listening to them complain, but now he just had enough of this shit.





	My Weakness (is that I care too much)

„But you know, he never hangs out with me anymore because of her and it sucks!“, Jack whines, packing away his guitar after the show. 

„So … you’re jealous“, Zack states. He has heard more than one of these rants and knows exactly where they will end, although the guitarist denies everything. This time is no different than usual, Jack is quick to shake his head.

„I’m not jealous! It’s just … I’m pissed because I don’t get to hang out with my best friend.“

He specifically stresses the words ‚best friend‘, maybe because he wants to prove his point, maybe because he hates it so much. Zack didn’t doesn’t particularly care about his choice of vocabulary, more about his well-being. So instead of pressing the you’re-a-closet-gay-matter, he plays along with the friend scenario: 

„Well, have you tried actually telling him? Like not just mouthing it behind his back or bombarding Rian and me with texts about it?“

Jack quietens down and blushes slightly. 

„What am I supposed to say? That I don’t like his fucking wife?“

To be honest, that would probably ruin their friendship forever. 

„You could at least try to be a little nicer or just invite her along. You can go see a movie together.“

He knows that’s not what Jack means, but if the guitarist is so persistent on not being in love with their singer, then there should actually be no problem, right? Luckily, before he is forced to come up with an actual solution, Alex arrives at the scene, holding out two bottles of water.

„If you two wanna shower before we hit the road you should hurry up!“

And as quickly as possible, Jack vanishes towards their dressing room, leaving Zack behind on his own, watching Alex talk with some techs.

 

When Zack enters the bus after another interview he was forced to sit through, he sees Rian sitting on the couch, head in his hands. Immediately every discomfort about being in the center of attention is gone, replaced by worry. 

„Ri, are you alright?“

It’s a stupid question, he knows, but he hopes that it’s just the drummer having a headache rather than serious troubles.

„Just a little worn out, I guess“, comes the mumbled reply, before Rian looks up at his bandmate. Zack sighs quietly, walking over and taking a seat next to his friend who leans against his shoulder a little bit, closing his eyes again. 

„Do you wanna talk about it?“

Over the past years, Zack has learned to offer his listening qualities rather than force the other to talk. It has worked miracles before, but he silently hopes that the drummer will let it slip and let him go to bed a little earlier than usual. 

„Just … I don’t know … I think it’s the touring stress getting to me …“

And apparently Rian can not read thoughts. But Zack doesn’t say anything, he never does, and patiently listens his friend pouring out his thoughts. It’s nothing new, really, just the drummer feeling bad about the bad food and uncomfortable beds. And the bassist just nods, trying to follow along in case there are new aspects he hasn’t heard about before. 

After about half an hour, Rian is done, taking a deep breath, before smiling softly at Zack. 

„Anyways, thanks for listening man!“ 

And the dark-haired one grins back, before patting his bandmate on the shoulder and standing up again to finally get some rest.

„You know I’ll listen anytime …“ 

With that he quickly disappears into the bunk part before anyone else can come and bother him. 

 

Zack seriously believes that he can have some time alone when tour is over, but that dream is destroyed when Alex shows up on his doorsteps, smiling sheepishly. 

„Can I sleep here? Lisa and I had a bit of a fight …“ 

And of course Zack doesn’t say no. He isn’t really in a position to when his friend asks him for a place to stay after a hard day, is he? 

„What was the fight about?“, he asks instead, starting the coffee machine in the kitchen. 

Alex sighs quietly, dropping down at the table and watching the bassist get the two of them a drink. 

„I caught her in bed with some weird guy from a bar. She says it’s my fault because I’m never home … I just didn’t want to listen to her anymore.“ 

Honestly, Zack has had enough of listening to Alex and Jack complaining about their love life instead of just fucking already. 

„I’m sorry to sound harsh, but if she isn’t okay with your lifestyle you can’t make her happy. You should honestly drop her.“

When Alex glares at him, he regrets saying those words out loud, but he doesn’t have the patience today. At least he doesn’t get punched, because the singer nods slowly and stares down at the table. 

„It just feels wrong to let her go. There’s a reason I married her in the first place, you know?“

And yes, Zack knows, but he also knows that the true reason was to get over his crush on his best friend, so it’s not the most solid point. 

„But if she doesn’t like you she won’t make your life easier. That spark has just disappeared months ago.“ 

With a sip of his coffee, the singer nods again and looks up in Zack’s eyes, before standing up to hug him tightly, almost chocking him in the process. 

„Thanks, Zack, you’re the best!“

As usual he puts on his fake smile and nods slowly. 

„I know, but let’s just take this evening to watch some movies. You can talk to her tomorrow.“ 

 

He has a great training session, drowning out all these emotions raging inside of him with his music and adrenaline kicking in. This is the only time he truly feels okay. Just nobody to listen to, nothing to worry about, it’s just about him and his body. He wishes these moments could last forever, but his muscles aren’t everlasting and the last thing he needs now is a serious injury. 

However, Zack regrets not pushing his body a little bit more when he comes onto the bus and Rian is waiting for him in the lounge, looking pissed off. 

„They’re at it again, just avoiding each other and their fucking feelings and whining about their lives. I’m so fucking sick of it!“

Something in the bassist just twitches when he hears these words, because it hasn’t been Rian listening to their complaint, it was Zack. And not only that, but he also has listened to everything Rian has ranted about, be it food or sore muscles. He just won’t take this shit anymore.

„Are you fucking kidding me?! Seriously? You complain about their whining? Who has fucking sat here and listened to all of you pouring your hearts out? Because it sure as hell wasn’t you!“ 

As expected, Rian flinches at his sudden outburst, but that doesn’t stop him from going on.

„Let’s be honest here, I’m nothing more than your fucking therapist!“ 

„But … I’m the one to calm Alex down from panic attacks …“, Rian tries to defend himself, but it’s no real use. 

„Yeah? Then why don’t you fucking get a grip on yourself and take over my role, because I’m fucking done!“

With that he angrily storms into the bunk parts, pushing by Alex and Jack, before slamming the door behind himself. 

He can hear his three bandmates whispering about him for a few minutes, then someone opens the door again and Alex peeks in his bunk.

„How are you feeling Zack?“

It doesn’t help with his mood at all.

„Well, why would you fucking give a shit about it now?“

He knows it isn’t exactly Alex’ fault, not Rian’s either, because all of them would have offered him a hug at anytime, but he doesn’t want a hug. He wants to shut out these voices in his head and the thoughts keeping him alive at night. 

„What about a big hug and some ranting time?“, Jack offers, appearing directly behind their singer, who is quick to add some offered hot chocolate to the mix. There’s no way Zack can say no to that, so he sits up quietly, making some room for the guitarist to climb in behind him, before hiding his face in the taller one’s shirt as lanky arms sneak around his back. 

„So what’s bothering you, huh?“   
It takes the bassist a second to sort out his thoughts, but then it all just comes out in a wave of words. 

„It’s just the combination of fucking everything. The bus is uncomfortable, it’s loud as fuck all the time, I can’t get enough time to really exercise and the food tastes like shit. There are constant headaches and an uneasy stomach, and there aren’t enough painkillers to drown out all the shit going on in my head. And then there’s listening to all of you complain about your problems and I wanna listen, I wanna help you, but sometimes I just want to get to bed already and have a shower. Sometimes I just don’t wanna worry anymore, I don’t wanna listen anymore, but I can’t tell you. I can’t ask you for a hug. Because you come to me to complain and not have me complain to you. And I can’t send you off because you need to get it out. I just … I don’t know what to do, how to deal with all of this fucking shit.“  
He breaks off to draw in a shaky breath, pressing closer to Jack who sits there in utter shock. He looks up when Rian climbs in as well, rubbing Zack’s shoulders comfortingly. 

„I’m sorry, Zack - I should’ve noticed sooner …“

The bassist shakes his head, opens his mouth to answer, but before any word comes out he stops, a quiet sob escaping instead. Jack lets his instincts take over, pulling Zack into his lap, kissing his cheek softly before the smaller has the chance to hide his face in his shoulder. Rian pushes closer as well, whispering sweet nothings in his friend’s ear. 

„You know we are always here for you, but thank you for always listening to us ranting“, Jack mumbles quietly into the bassist’s ear, trying to ignore the wet spot growing on his t-shirt. 

„And I promise you right here, right now, that just the way you were there for us, I’ll be there for you“, Alex chimes in, placing four mugs of hot chocolate on the small board in the bunk, before joining in on the group hug. 

 

Half an hour later, Zack has fallen asleep, still cuddled up to Jack who smiles fondly at the bassist. 

„We should really keep an eye on him“, Rian mumbles quietly, earning two agreeing nods from his bandmates. 

„He’s in for a bunch of random hugs“, Jack muses quietly, tightening his grip on his best friend again. 

For a minute, everything is silent, then the drummer silently leaves the bunk. 

„Let’s head to bed … we can’t all stay in there.“ 

Alex nods, following, but Jack shakes his head, staying put. 

„He shouldn’t be alone tonight. I’ll stay here with him.“ 

Both bandmates nod quickly and say goodnight to their guitarist who glances down at Zack finally resting. 

„I promise I won’t leave you alone like this ever again.“

**Author's Note:**

> Just a random idea I had ... comments and feedback are always appreciated!


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